Warmth and Healing
by Fault
Summary: Sesshoumaru and Rin fic. A recount of the first time Rin is sick under Sesshoumaru's care. Very sweet and sappy. Tenseiga references (part two up) Complete.
1. Warmth: Chapter 1

The characters of Inuyasha remain the property of Rumiko Takahashi. And not me.  
  
Summary: One shot, little happy-ending story, as requested by Killing Perfection. Well, actually it turned out not so little... I have a nasty habit of embellishing everything.  
  
Japanese vocabulary: -sama : respectful title, a little like "lord" Gomen-nasai : sorry as in "I'm sorry" hai : yes houki : demon energy aura Kami : deity Youkai : Demon Tsubuku : To be continued (I think) Owari : end  
  
Warmth: Chapter 1 ----------------------  
  
One of the landmarks of Sesshoumaru's life with Rin was the first time she was sick. It wasn't anything too serious, just a cold, but it was important for them both, none the less. So, if we look to that frosty hill over there, you can see Lord Sesshoumaru walking with Rin, the day before she becomes sick.  
  
"Jaken-sama, come play with me."  
  
Rin runs circles around him and giggles happily. She's especially happy today in her nice new warm clothes. From top to toe she's rugged up in thick, warm, sturdy cloth, her outer coat quilted and puffy. Her face is framed by a hood and she's even wearing neat little closed shoes. She looks absolutely cute as a button with her cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling with happiness. Too cute even for Jaken, so he sounds half-hearted as he scolds her.  
  
"Slow down child!! We have many more miles to walk today, thanks to your weakness."  
  
Only yesterday Sesshoumaru had flown with Rin and found out that the biting cold of winter chilled her too much. Rin's poor eyes had watered terribly from the frost gusts caused by their speed, and her cheeks and hands became chilled and wind-bitten. When they landed, Sesshoumaru sent Jaken scampering to make a fire while he himself held Rin in his lap, warming her face and hands with his own. As he gently wiped the tears from her face with the sleeve of his ornate robe, one could almost call him tender, in spite of his stern expression and words: "You will tell me when you are hurt or unwell. Do you understand?" Sesshoumaru had ignored the fact that Rin answered him smiling.  
  
"An-un carry Rin if Rin gets tired. Ah-un won't mind, will you Ah-un?"  
  
Rin runs over and pats the demon animal, which responds with a happy lowing. Rin grins and walks beside Ah-un for a while. She is in fact still a little tired from her bout in the cold yesterday, and so she is content to walk quietly for a while.  
  
Her sporadic chatter, giggles and arguments with Jaken are the only things to break up the day. All is quiet, and uneventful. The land lies still and silent under the first snow of Winter.. and due to Sesshoumaru's presence. In fact, the number of human lives spared merely by the random passing of Sesshoumaru is truly astounding.  
  
They make good time this day, with Rin walking or riding Ah-un. The day ends, the sun setting early, colouring the snow as it fades through a series of russet hues. And so, in the chill of the brief twilight, they set up camp for the night. Rin is very tired, and barely stays awake long enough to eat before falling asleep against Sesshoumaru's side. As always, this show of complete trust both comforts and confuses Sesshoumaru. And a confused Sesshoumaru is a very angry Sesshoumaru. But, Sesshoumaru is a Youkai, and anger is a driving force of his existence. He long ago learnt to control and channel his anger. Lately he has been needing a new source of anger to fuel his strength: his rage against his half-brother is beginning to grow stale and lifeless. The Tenseiga... does not seem so insulting a gift anymore.  
  
Sesshoumaru gazes at Rin, seemingly impassively. He notices that something is not quite right with her, her scent is a little off, and her sleep is troubled. He will have to keep a close eye on her, not that he doesn't already.  
  
Morning dawns late, and Rin isn't herself at all. Instead of happily waking to greet the new day she is sluggish, and doesn't want to leave Sesshoumaru's side. She seems to be having trouble breathing through her nose and she squinches her face up. Jaken stops scolding her long enough to watch her sneeze. Sesshoumaru is leaning down to examine her closely, and is caught off guard when she sneezes on him. All three of them look utterly shocked. Rin is the first to recover and manages to wipe her nose on her sleeve before saying:  
  
"Gomen-nasai Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin is sick."  
  
Sesshoumaru takes this news fairly calmly.  
  
"Yes, I can see that, Rin."  
  
Jaken on the other hand, starts ranting and raving about rudeness and the weakness of humans and how Rin is troubling Sesshoumaru-sama. As Jaken's topics change to medicines and the location of nearby villages Sesshoumaru takes Rin temperature. She's too warm, and she definitely smells sick. He is worried, what if she gets worse? He's never had to deal with human sickness very closely before. If fact, Sesshoumaru feels just as worried as Jaken sounds. But it's not in his nature to jump up and down shouting, and only a small hesitation before speaking shows his unease.  
  
"Jaken, shut up."  
  
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
Rin smiles and struggles to her feet. Sesshoumaru and Jaken seem to think she'll break at any moment, like fine glass. They are jolted into stillness by her sudden movement.  
  
"Rin is ok. Rin has been sick before and got better all by herself."  
  
She nods to emphasise her words, and then sniffs noisily. Sesshoumaru, not knowing any better solution, leaves it at that and stands, ordering Jaken to make breakfast for Rin. Afterwards, they quickly get ready to leave. Sesshoumaru scoops Rin up and plops her down on Ah-un's back.  
  
"Today you will not run around."  
  
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
Rin is more than happy to agree, as her cold is bad enough to sap her strength. Today is nowhere near as peaceful as yesterday, though it is even quieter. Rin's silence is putting Jaken and Sesshoumaru on edge, it feels so wrong after Rin's normal happy bubbling, it's as though they are in enemy territory. Towards the end of the day, the silence is broken by Rin's coughing. She's obviously getting worse. When Sesshoumaru goes to check on her, she smiles at him, but has nothing to say. Sesshoumaru's tension makes his houki flare.  
  
"We spend tonight in shelter. Jaken, this way."  
  
Sesshoumaru points up a small valley, where he knows there is a small cave, nothing more than a rocky scoop under a cliff, but it is shelter, and a wind is picking up towards nightfall, bringing with it flurries of snow. They reach the cave at dusk and Sesshoumaru carefully senses whether there are any demons or spirits in the area to cause trouble. There aren't. With an Angry Sesshoumaru in the area, everything has fled, or hidden itself beyond sensing. Including animals. Looks like Rin is eating travel rations tonight. If she feels like eating at all.  
  
Normally, Sesshoumaru refrains from initiating any intimacy with Rin. But there is no time for that now. Efficiency is required, and so Rin is carried into the shelter of the cave as soon as Ah-un plods up outside it.  
  
Jaken quickly scampers around setting up a fire and unpacking food and blankets for Rin. In a few minutes Rin is snugly bundled in soft blankets by a crackling fire, looking quite content despite her stuffy nose. Sesshoumaru stands still and watches her as Jaken makes some strong green tea as a medicine. But Sesshoumaru is anything but calm. Rin's sickness is bringing to the fore his running argument with himself about what he thinks of Rin, and whether he truly cares for her. The world must never see this weakness that he has for the little girl. But can he even admit to himself that she is his weakness? Once he accepts that, he must accept her. Not that he hasn't already. What must he do to once more attain the self assurance he had such a short time ago? Before she wormed her way into his heart. He does not know, and it angers him.  
  
Slowly and deliberately he paces the cave's entrance, his impassive face made dangerous by the flickering shadows, looking for all the world like a caged animal. Never has anything been so bold as this virus, hurting his property right before his eyes. He will not admit to himself his worry. His ambivalent feelings towards Rin are warring within him. Is he so weak as to be scared over this pathetic little human sickness? He barely refrains from an enraged roar at the injustice of his situation, his inability to strike down this illness that affronts him.  
  
Sesshoumaru's energy flares, practically scorching the air with its intensity. Here stands a Great Demon Lord at the height of his power. No one can look upon this vision of strength and be unawed. Rin and Jaken have become deathly still and silent, stunned into immobility. Then those few seconds of burningly intense power pass, and once again, Sesshoumaru's face has only impassivity, his strength shown through his grace and not raw power.  
  
Presently, Sesshoumaru stops pacing to stare at Rin as he thinks. Her condition is so bad, he is even thinking of going to one of those villages Jaken mentioned for medicine. His heart suffers as he watches her latest bout of uncontrollable coughing. And so Sesshoumaru swiftly turns away, intending to remove the source of his distress from his sight so that he can think.  
  
"no, wait..."  
  
He is brought up short however, when he hears a weak cry from Rin. He turns to see her struggling to untangle herself from the blankets and follow him. Having watched his growing agitation, no, his growing FURY, she is deathly frightened that she's become too much of a burden, and Sesshoumaru would rather leave her here than care for her in her sickness. In her eyes is the fear of one doomed to abandonment. Weakly she struggles, trying to make it seem that she's not made frail by illness, that she isn't any trouble. That she isn't a 'pathetic and despised human' unworthy of the Great Lord Sesshoumaru's care. She knows that she can't lie to him, that she isn't well, that she cannot ask anything more from the one she owes her life to. But to the end of her strength she is fighting to keep her beloved Sesshoumaru-sama, and what little strength it is. Kami, she's so small.  
  
In a mere moment, Sesshoumaru sees Rin's fear, tears in her eyes because she is afraid that he will abandon her. Instantly, his internal struggles are swept away. In their place comes pure protective instinct. In a second he is by her side, gently helping her into his lap and settling her blankets around her again. Rin immediately grabs hold of Sesshoumaru's sleeve with her one free arm, grateful for the presence of the person she fears losing. Sesshoumaru sits cross-legged, the circle of his legs becoming a nest in which Rin is snuggled.  
  
"Jaken. Go to the nearest village and get medicine. If you cause any fuss and delay your return you will be sorely regretful. There will be no other reason for delay."  
  
Indeed, with Sesshoumaru's earlier anger-fuelled display of power, nothing will stir for hours within a hundred miles of here.  
  
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
Jaken unbends himself from his frozen immobility and scampers out of the cave, leaving the green tea forgotten. He can see that now is no time for discussion, and he swiftly enters the cold snowy darkness that lies beyond the fire's light without complaint or hesitation. Once he is gone, Sesshoumaru indulges himself in a rare display of tenderness, soothing Rin with his touch as he tucks her in against his body securely. Sesshoumaru is here for her, cares for her. Rin, weak with sickness, can only show her utter relief with tears, which Sesshoumaru gently wipes away.  
  
"Rin..."  
  
Sesshoumaru's voice is uncharacteristically gentle.  
  
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin croaks quietly.  
  
"You belong to me."  
  
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
"And I will never leave you."  
  
Rin is speechless, but nods to show her understanding as she clutches at his clothing. Sesshoumaru gently brushes hair away from Rin's face, taking great care not to harm her with his talons. Somehow, he had never noticed before that his great power could hinder him so much. Even a simple caress was dangerous. Suddenly disdainful of his battle-ready guise, Sesshoumaru carefully removes his armour and weapons, and brings his soft white tail down to warm and cushion Rin.  
  
"You should sleep."  
  
Rin smiles as she lets her eyes slip shut. Soon her laboured breathing evens out, and she is asleep under Sesshoumaru's watchful protection. Far away from this little circle of warmth and protection, out in the cold snow, Jaken trudges on towards the village, the cold silencing his usual string of melodramatic complaints.  
  
--- Tsubuku  
  
That's the end of part one, part two will be coming soon. Please tell me what you think of this story. And if I've missed any mistakes I'd like you to point them out so I can fix them. 


	2. Healing: Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own and of the characters used in this fan fiction.  
  
To the people who reviewed: Wow.. I mean WOW!! I received 9 reviews for chapter 1on the first day. Thank you all so much. It's great to have people enjoy the sweet little stories that I do. It really is inspiring.  
  
Japanese vocabulary: -sama : respectful title, a little like "lord" Gomen-nasai : sorry as in "I'm sorry" hai : yes houki : demon energy aura Kami : deity Youkai : Demon Tsuzuku : To be continued (It think) Owari : End  
  
Warmth: Chapter 2 -------------------------  
  
As the night wears on, Rin sleeps uneasily, frequently slipping into sickness induced nightmares. But always, Sesshoumaru is there, ready to comfort her and smooth back her sweaty hair. She needs him, and so he is there for her. Presently Rin cries out from a particularly bad dream, waking with a sob that turns into another bout of coughing. Gently Sesshoumaru collects her against his chest to warm her.  
  
Never has Sesshoumaru missed his arm more than right now. His wish to hold Rin against him with both arms is so strong. His little Rin. How it made him grieve to see her suffer. He cares for this little human more than he can admit to himself, but that thought does not occur to him as she lies before him, in pain. Still his emotionless mask remains, even as his heart reaches out to her.  
  
*ba-bump*  
  
The Tenseiga is stirring. From it's place in the pile of discarded armour, it is answering it's Master's unwitting call. Caught up in caring for Rin, Sesshoumaru does not realise how palpable his wish is to see this little girl restored to health. The Tenseiga, as mighty in it's own way as the Tetsuaiga, powered by mercy and love, is waking like it has never done before. The Tenseiga, given to Sesshoumaru by his father, a lesson and gift, an artefact of great strength, though Sesshoumaru does not see it that way. But right now, Sesshoumaru is more like a lost boy than his usual 'heartless Youkai Lord' self.  
  
*ba-bump ba-bump*  
  
It's glow hidden by the sheath, the Tenseiga begins to awaken. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrow as he sees it. Of course, he could lower himself to use the sword. It could heal even death at his command. It is surprising, and somehow discomforting, the way that the sword connects him to this little girl. The sword that seemed such a weak and despicable inheritance. Why must it be that this sword and not his own power can accomplish this task? Again his feelings are becoming conflicted, until he looks at the little girl cradled against him. She is struggling for breath, and feverish. Her spirit feels weak. She is in much pain. The sword will be used.  
  
Sesshoumaru does not move from his close embrace with Rin. Instead he calls Tenseiga to him. It resists. Sesshoumaru's eyes widen in anger and surprise. He calls it more strongly. Again it resists. He is about to unleash some rather interesting magic upon it when he is distracted by Rin's coughing. Suddenly the sword is by his side.  
  
Sesshoumaru prods the sword, finding to his chagrin that it only wishes to be used in one way. It requires that he submit to it and use his love for Rin as the conduit for healing.  
  
Sesshoumaru sneers, why bother with this method of healing when he can restore one's very life by a simple cut of the sword. He reaches for the sword intending to end this struggle in a moment, and a bolt of energy leaps out from it, as though to slap his hand away from the hilt. Sesshoumaru's eye narrow to glowing slits. Tonight is a most frustrating night.  
  
Elsewhere, the shrunken toad demon quietly steals medicine from an unsuspecting town fast asleep, and comes scurrying back to his master, triumphant.  
  
One can almost see the spirit of Sesshoumaru's father hovering over him, carefully instructing him in the ways of the heart as though he is an untested child. Sesshoumaru is nothing if not strong willed, and he will persist until the child is healed. For her part, Rin knows little more than that Sesshoumaru is there, as she drifts in and out of consciousness. She is filled with a feeling of warmth, physically and spiritually in a way that she had almost forgotten. Truly, Sesshoumaru is acting more like a parent caring for a child than a guardian. A guardian who cares this much has long since become family.  
  
Indeed this is one wiley sword. As Sesshoumaru is distracted by his struggle with it, the sword stealthily heals Sesshoumaru's heart, and through it, Rin's heart. Giving both exactly what they need. Love. In Sesshoumaru's case, it is love given, in Rin's, love received.  
  
It is a long night as Sesshoumaru slowly learns his sword. Pride made him learn to use it before tonight. Desperation is forcing him to learn its inner secrets now, in order to heal his little Rin. The sword is suddenly fickle. Nothing but purest intentions will make the sword work it's magic tonight. Sesshoumaru must change approach in order to get more than a trickle of power of Tenseiga. The sword has him where it wants him. But as he learns the secrets it holds, somehow, those same secrets help him shed his frustration, to make him respect the sword, to ask it rather than command it. To work with it towards a mutual goal.  
  
The hours creep by in the long cold dark of the winter night, the blackness perfect save for the line of pale light where the Tenseiga's hilt meets its sheath, and the subtle glow of Sesshoumaru's eyes.  
  
The fire uses it's fuel, and slowly dies down into embers and ash. Still, he will not relinquish his possessive contact with her for even a moment to restock it. Healing her is his goal, his warmth will provide for her, his power will heal her, his alone. How.. childish. Be patient, he is still learning.  
  
Morning dawns, and Rin is healed. Sesshoumaru feels a peculiar form of exhaustion, his emotions drained from the long process of healing. But he feels relaxed, a feeling like nothing he can remember. Peace. A heart at ease. And so he leans back on a boulder and sleeps, with Rin curled up on his stomach, his arm and tail protectively around her. He had never realised before how wonderful the scent of a healthy child was. The fire lies in cold ashes before them, unneeded and unheeded.  
  
And that is how Jaken finds them, dozing in the pale glow of dawn, Sesshoumaru gazing out the cave's entrance and Rin sleeping peacefully, healthy as a proverbial ox. Sesshoumaru's rigid mask of impassivity is gone, his face's current lack of expression caused by complete relaxation, and a feeling of security. Strangely, the night's events have left Sesshoumaru with a new confidence in his strength. How strange that submitting to the Tenseiga allowed him to master it. How strange that he does not care that he has to bow down in order to gain the power of the sword. It could not be confidence in the strength of his healing heart, could it?  
  
As Jaken waddles up, Sesshoumaru spares Jyaken a glance, and shushes him quietly but sternly before once again dozing, apparently alert despite everything that has happened. Absolutely speechless at the way his valiant effort to obtain medicine has been unrewarded and in fact was made moot during the night, Jaken face-faults and stalks off into the forest to take his impotent rage out upon some defenceless trees. Sesshoumaru's smile widens fractionally at that.  
  
Later that day they are back to travelling. Everything is back to normal, Rin is playing and laughing happily, Jaken is indignantly grumbling and Sesshoumaru is silent and stern, practically stalking down the road with his usual fluid grace. But something is a little different too. Before, Rin's joy was like a candle, small and bright, a flickering illumination in the darkness. Now.. now it's like a fire, not only bright but also strong, not easily snuffed. More importantly, it is warm, like the sunlight of spring. And Sesshoumaru is more than content to bask in it.  
  
Sesshoumaru's father knew well that there was much more to becoming the True Master of the Tenseiga. But finally, Sesshoumaru has become its student.  
  
Owari. ----  
  
I hope you enjoyed reading the end of this little fan-fic of mine as much as you did the beginning. Please tell me what you think, and especially tell me of any mistakes, since I'm my own editor.  
  
Note: This half of the story has be fairly heavily editted since it's first publication. When I came back and reread it, it didn't sound so good anymore. I hope you enjoy this version. 


	3. Extras

ÿþO 


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